Patriots’ Day in Boston is a day like no other, to celebrate the strength of a city and the 121-year tradition that is the Boston Marathon.
Daryl Farler, a double amputee from Tennessee, crossed the finish line on Boylston Street 11 hours after starting in Hopkinton.
“It’s a great day. The city is beautiful. The weather was great,” he said. “I will be able to tell my kids and grandkids that I did something that people with no feet can come out and do as they please.”
The elite come to Boston because it’s prestigious, and so does everyone else who finishes hours later, including Deborah Touchy, who was escorted down the last mile by a woman she didn’t even know.
“Oh, my God. Well, it was better with her. She was yelling for everyone to yell for me. And it was very wonderful,” Touchy said.
Then, there are people supporting a cause, such as Andrew Frates, who is running for his brother, Pete Frates, who is known for having Lou Gehrig's disease, or ALS, and creating the Ice Bucket Challenge.
“I just told him I loved him so much and that I did this just for him and I wanted to make him proud,” Andrew said after finishing and talking to his brother.
Even Boston Police Commissioner William Evans was back on the course this year for the first time since the bombings in 2013.
"You’re running for the young victims here, tragically, four years ago. So even though your legs are getting sore when you think of the families and the victims, it keeps you going pretty strong,” he said.
For everyone who runs, just being part of the history and pedigree of the Boston Marathon is a dream come true.
And for those who don't run, Marathon Monday is a day of celebration.
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